Community During Tense Times: Interlinking Thinking | Listen to Sermon Audio
Gifts of Grace
In Romans 12:6-8 Paul lists seven spiritual gifts. Though this is not an exhaustive list, it does provide us with an idea of the different ways in which God’s people are gifted. These gifts are one of the best ways that the body of Christ can demonstrate both our unity and diversity, reminding us that all followers of Christ are unified through the same Spirit, but that the Spirit expresses himself differently through each of us.
1. Prophecy: communicating timely truth, often spoken into a specific situation or context
2. Service: this term is often translated as “ministry” and is likely a general way of referring to all spiritual gifts and understanding that they are all avenues of ministry to others
3. Teaching: passing on biblical truth maturely and accurately
4. Exhortation: using words to encourage, empathize, console, advise
5. Contribution: giving or sharing one’s resources with no ulterior motives and not begrudgingly
6. Leadership: providing guidance and direction to others in a diligent and unifying way
7. Mercy: visiting the sick, caring for elderly, tending to the poor, all to be done with cheer
All of these, as well as those listed in other places (Rom. 12:6-8, 1 Cor. 12:7-10, 28, Eph. 4:11-12, 1 Peter 4:10-11), are given for the building up of one another through love. And so the best way for each of us to discover what our spiritual gifts are is to be involved in relationships that provide us with opportunities to demonstrate the love of Christ to others.